Troubled Mind
by Frontline
Summary: Batgirl is worried about Spoiler and struggles to find a way to help her.


**Spoiler, Batgirl, Batman and all related characters are the property of DC Comics and not owned by this author. No copyright infringement is intended or any money received through this publication. **

Cassandra raced across the rooftop, casting a sideways glance at her companion. Despite the mask and purple hood that hid her face, she knew that Spoiler was troubled. She'd been silent since they'd started the run, which was unlike her. Normally, she'd have been talking or cracking jokes as they dodged through the shadows. Underneath her mask, Cassandra was worried for her friend, and worried what she could do about it. She wished that Barbara was here; she knew how to deal with this sort of thing. Not for the first time, she wished that her assassin's training gave her more insight into people. She knew numerous ways of intimidating people and getting information out of them, but she suspected that they wouldn't work so well here. She was considering how to bring up the subject, when a scream attracted her attention. She stopped, crouching by the roof edge, gesturing for Spoiler to do the same. Below them, a woman was running down the alley, being chased by two roughly dressed men. Cassandra gestured towards them, dropping over the edge of the roof without a sound, disappearing into the shadows.

Spoiler dropped into the alley, part of her glad that they had found some trouble tonight. She was angry, and she'd been looking for something to vent her emotions on. These thugs would do fine. She landed in a crouch in front of the fleeing woman, seeing her eyes widen in shock and she pushed her aside, moving to intercept the first thug. He kept running, drawing back his fist and she sidestepped the blow, smashing her elbow into his jaw and kicking his legs out from under him. The second thug stopped, pulling out a knife, just as a black shadow drove him to the ground and there was a cut off grunt and the sound of a fist striking flesh. Spoiler turned back to her attacker, who was trying to rise and kicked out, her boot scything across his jaw, throwing him against the alley wall. Before he could recover, she had hauled him up and slammed him against the bricks, driving her fist into his stomach, taking satisfaction at his pained grunt and the look of fear in his eyes. She drew back her fist again, when an arm snaked round her neck, dragging her backwards and she thrust her elbow back, hard. Next second, she was sprawled on the ground, with Batgirl standing over her.  
'That's enough.' She said, her voice cold and deadly, before moving away to restrain the two thugs. Spoiler got back to her feet, anger still pulsing through her, mixed with an icy dread. What had she been doing? She dimly noted that the woman had fled, not that she blamed her, as Batgirl rejoined her, gesturing to the rooftop.  
'We need to leave.' She said, simply.

'What is wrong?' Batgirl asked, glancing at Spoiler, who was sitting on the edge of the rooftop, looking down at her boots. Sirens nearby indicated that the GCPD had found the thugs. Spoiler looked up at Batgirl, trying to appear nonchalant.  
'Nothing.' She said, still staring into the distance, not looking at Cassandra, who wasn't fooled.  
'Stephanie, I may not be an expert on people, but I know you. You've been quiet all night, which isn't like you. With what happened back there...'  
She trailed off, unsure how to proceed, and Steph snapped.  
'What? That I taught him a lesson? What the hell's wrong with that? You know he deserved it.'  
She stopped, and her shoulders sagged.  
'I know, I know, you're right. Sometimes, I wish I had your discipline, Cass.'  
Cassandra sat down beside her, looking her friend in the eye.  
'What's the matter? Tell me.'  
'It's nothing important, okay?' She replied, but Cass held her gaze and she relented.  
'Alright. I just...feel so useless. I mean, what am I doing this for? I became Spoiler to stop my Dad, to save him from being the Cluemaster. I thought that I could make a difference, but I haven't changed anything. You, Batman and Robin, you've all been trained for this; I'm just an amateur, playing in the big leagues, pretending to be a hero.'  
Cassandra was silent for a moment, before putting a hand on her shoulder.  
'You are mistaken. When I was training as a child, I was taught that action was the most important trait. That is what a hero does. Oracle told me that training, the ability to fight, does not make someone a hero. Choosing to act, to stand up for something, is what being a hero is. I did not understand what she meant, until I met you. You have more courage than anyone I have known, Stephanie. And you have made a difference to me. I do not know what I would be without you. I...have never had a friend before, and I did not realise how much that would matter to me. Nobody besides Oracle has seen me as anything other than a killer. You saved me, I think, because you saw something in me that I didn't believe existed. You trusted me, when others did not. And, we have made a difference together. How many people are still alive because of what we have done? If Batman cannot stop all crime, then none of us can. But, that does not mean we stop trying, or we will have truly failed.  
She stood up and Spoiler did the same, wrapping her in a brief hug.  
'Thanks, Cass, really. I'm glad that I met you, too.' She said, turning to look at the city.  
'And, you're right. I can't give up. Despite everything, this is the best thing that I've ever done and I'm glad that you're with me. Together, we've done a lot of good. I guess we should just take things one day at a time, and deal with what happens when it happens.'  
Cassandra nodded. 'That is all any of us can do.'

**Hope you enjoyed it.**

**Reviews, comments and constructive criticism very welcome.**


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